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He travelled on skis for an average of eight hours and 18 miles a
day, before reaching the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station a few hours later than expected.

He is now expecting to have his record officially verified by Guinness World Records.

Challenging: The GCSE student spent 46 days in sub-zero temperatures and 120mph blizzards during his bid to clinch the world record. He is now expecting to have his feat officially verified by Guinness World Records.

On his arrival, Lewis said: 'I'm really happy, but mostly relieved that for the first time in 48 days I don't have to get up tomorrow and drag my sled for nine hours in the snow and icy wind.

'Today was really hard. The closer I got to the Pole, the slower I went. My legs had had enough.

'But now I'm here and I've had some spaghetti bolognaise and I am sitting in a heated tent.'

Lewis, who was raising money for youth charity The Prince's Trust, began his epic journey on December 2.

'Today was really hard. The closer I got to the Pole, the slower I went. My legs had had enough'

Lewis Clarke

He had been planning the expedition
for three years and began a tough training regime a year ago, starting with a two-week polar training course in Norway.

Accompanied by experienced polar guide, Carl Alvey, he was forced to pull his own supplies during the trek - with the exception of three organised food drops.

He has also encountered a range of problems over the past 46 days, including blisters, a broken ski and coughs caused by the high altitudes,

Speaking
during the Pole expedition, Lewis said: ‘I used to love snow, hate hot
places and hot weather, and wear shorts in the middle of winter. Now I'm
not too sure.

‘I've been through the entire list of Polar problems. I knew it would be hard, but it's harder than I ever thought it would be.

Winning man: Lewis, who was raising money for The Prince's Trust, began his epic journey on December 2

‘I think sometimes about how few people have done this. Only 300 in 100 years. That's pretty cool.’

By reaching the South Pole, Lewis has become the youngest person to ski the full 700 miles from the Antarctic coast to pole (Hercules Inlet route) - beating Sarah Landry, of Canada, aged 18, in
2004.

The schoolboy has stayed overnight at the Pole and has been offered a tour of the Amundsen Scott Polar Research base today.

He is expecting to fly back to Union Glacier base camp later today and will be back in the UK on January 24.